January 2024 - WETA Magazine

JANUARY 2024

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Series 4 premieres Sunday, January 7 at 9 p.m. amid a stellar lineup of dramas on WETA PBS & WETA Metro Plus a new season of Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., featuring more fascinating explorations of genealogy and history

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he New Year heralds riveting WETA television offerings as we bring you a month of stellar storytelling in our superb January programming. We are particularly pleased to premiere a new season of our WETA co-production Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., created in partnership with our longtime friend and collaborator, the renowned Harvard scholar. Season 10’s genealogical explorations follow ancestries and fascinating family stories of a new group of intriguing guest participants.

On Sunday nights starting January 7 on WETA PBS, we feature a blockbuster lineup of outstanding dramas, including new seasons of two of my favorites, All Creatures Great and Small on Masterpiece, and Doc Martin, in addition to Miss Scarlet and The Duke on Masterpiece and the new series Funny Woman — all available for appointment television and for streaming with WETA Passport. Thursday nights on WETA PBS, we bring you entertaining mystery dramas, and on WETA UK we offer a wide array of excellent series as well.

In January and beyond, as the pace of Election 2024 news quickens, follow along with us the next chapter in our nation’s story. Stay current with developments via WETA’s trusted and respected news and public affairs programs, including PBS NewsHour, PBS News Weekend, and Washington Week with The Atlantic.

Thank you for tuning in and streaming — and for your vital ongoing support for our services to the public.

Sharon Percy Rockefeller President and Chief Executive Officer, WETA

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Doc Martin, Series 10 The Final Season

Sundays at 7 p.m. starting Jan. 7 on WETA PBS

©BUFFALO PICTURES & ALL3MEDIA INTERNATIONAL

he popular drama wraps up with a final season that stars Martin Clunes as Dr. Martin Ellingham, the former doctor of the Cornish seaside village of Portwenn, and Caroline Catz as his wife, Louisa. The nine new episodes pick up a year after Martin resigned his medical license. Louisa is now the one seeing patients as a child counselor while Martin looks after their home life, which includes the addition of a newborn baby daughter. But does the Doc truly never want to practice medicine again? The storyline has Martin making efforts to confront his phobia and questioning his resignation. All the regular cast members reprise their roles, including Dame Eileen Atkins as Martin’s Aunt Ruth, Ian McNeice as Bert Large and Joe Absolom as his son Al; and guest stars include Lesley Nicol (Downton Abbey) and Rupert Graves (Sherlock). Doc Martin, Series 10 also airs on WETA UK, Mondays at 8 p.m. starting January 8. Binge-watch episodes with WETA Passport.

Also tune in to WETA PBS on Thursdays starting Jan. 4 for The Brokenwood Mysteries and Death in Paradise.

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COVER: ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL ON MASTERPIECE

New Season of Sunday Drama Starts January 7 on WETA PBS & WETA Metro; stream on the PBS App and binge-watch with WETA Passport as of the broadcast premieres

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COURTESY MASTERPIECE

ate Phillips (Peaky Blinders, Wolf Hall) and Stuart Martin (Jamestown) are back as the dynamic, head-butting duo Eliza Scarlet and William Wellington (“The Duke”) in a new season of Masterpiece’s Victorian-era detective drama.

Season 4 opens with Eliza having taken over the business of Nash & Sons (not that he has any sons) and things are not going entirely smoothly. But help comes from some familiar sources. Outside of work, her relationship with William builds towards a looming decision that will shape both their lives. Among the new episodes’ storylines, Eliza teams up with The Duke to investigate a burglary in a high-end brothel whose clients include important members of the British government; and we learn the story of how it all began as the series flashes back 12 years to when the pair met for the first time.

All Creatures Great and Small, Series 4 on Masterpiece (9 p.m.)

asterpiece presents a new season of the beloved drama that adapts the memoirs of Yorkshire veterinarian James Herriot (nom de plume of Alf Wight) and stars an ensemble cast led by mainstays Nicholas Ralph (James), Samuel West (Siegfried), Rachel Shenton (Helen) and Anna Madley (Mrs. Hall).

In Series 4, it is Spring 1940, Europe is at war, and the Dales community of Darrowby is pulling together. With Tristan Farnon away serving in the army, Siegfried and James bring in some extra hands to help around the animal practice: bookkeeper Miss Harbottle, portrayed by Neve McIntosh (Shetland), and student vet Richard Carmody, played by James Anthony-Rose. Meanwhile, happily married Helen and James begin to think about their future despite the possibility that James could be called up to serve.

Funny Woman (10 p.m.)

he new six-part drama Funny Woman stars Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace; Their Finest) as Barbara Parker, a small-town England beauty queen who decides to swap her pageant life for comedy television in 1960s London. After landing a television-show audition, Parker (with stage name Sophie Straw) finds that being a woman in a largely male environment has its challenges. As she “finds her funny” voice, Parker aims to redefine the prevailing attitude of the times toward funny women while on a mission to reinvent herself. The series was adapted for the screen from Nick Hornby’s bestselling novel Funny Girl. The cast includes Tom Bateman (of Branagh films Murder on the Orient Express and Death on the Nile), David Threlfall (Master and Commander) and Rupert Everett.

©POTBOILER PRODUCTIONS; ©SKY UK LIMITED

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PLAYGROUND ENTERTAINMENT AND MASTERPIECE

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Miss Scarlet and The Duke, Series 4 on Masterpiece (8 p.m.)

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History with David Rubenstein

HISTORY W WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN

New 10-part Season 5, a WETA presentation, airs Fridays at 8:30 p.m. starting January 5 on WETA PBS; stream on the PBS App

DEBORAH FEINGOLD

DON POLLARD

M. STEWART

JIM ZIV

ETA presents new Season 5 episodes of the popular interview series History with David Rubenstein, Fridays at 8:30 p.m. on WETA PBS starting January 5 and repeating Sundays at 6:30 p.m. on WETA PBS and WETA Metro. The 10 new fascinating programs feature Washington, D.C.-based financier and philanthropist David Rubenstein exploring American history with distinguished author-scholars. The series, produced by the New-York Historical Society, is brought to a nationwide audience by WETA via PBS. In the half-hour conversations, prominent authors of history, including Pulitzer Prize winners, tell the country’s diverse stories, exploring why the past matters, how it informs the present, and what Tune In for All-New Episodes Watch PBS App. it portends for the future.

January or episode guestson arethe Beverly Gage, author of G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century; Richard Haass, author of The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens; Craig L. Symonds, author of Nimitz at War: Command Leadership from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay; and Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human. Upcoming episodes feature authors Leslie M. Harris, Jonathan Darman, Marie Arana, Candice Millard, Fredrik Logevall and Jeffrey Frank.

Rubenstein is the co-founder and co-executive chairman of The Carlyle Group. He is chairman of the board of trustees of the Council on Foreign Relations; a regent of the Smithsonian Institution; a trustee of the National Constitution Center; and president Among guests are (from top left) of the Economic Club of Washington. Rubenstein is author of The American Story: Siddhartha Mukherjee, Conversations with Master Historians (2019), How to Lead (2020) and Beverly Gage, Fredrik Logevall The American Experiment: Dialogues on a Dream (2021). and Leslie Harris

History Films from Ken Burns

CRAIG MELLISH

FRANKLIN BY JOSEPH SIFFRED DUPLESSIS, C.1785; NATL PORTRAIT GALLERY, SMITHSONIAN INST.

FRANCIS COLLINS, HEAD OF HUMAN GENOME PROJECT; GETTY IMAGES

In January, WETA reprises several recent WETA co-productions directed or executive-produced by Ken Burns.

Ken Burns Presents The Gene: An Intimate History • Saturdays, Jan. 27 & Feb. 3 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS; Jan. 25 & Feb. 1 at 8 p.m. on WETA Metro • This landmark 2020 film is based on the book The Gene: An Intimate History by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and WETA collaborator Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee. The program weaves together science, history, and personal stories to present a historical biography of the human genome, while also exploring groundbreaking breakthroughs for diagnosis and treatment of genetic diseases — and the complex web of moral, ethical and scientific questions raised by developments in genetics.

The film is from largely the same team behind the 2015 WETA co-production Ken Burns Presents Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies. Visit pbs.org/thegene.

Benjamin Franklin • Fridays, Jan. 19 & 26 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS and WETA Metro The 2022 film directed by Ken Burns explores the life and work of Benjamin Franklin, one of the most consequential and compelling figures in United States history, and whose work and words unlocked the mystery of electricity and helped to create the United States. The story of this fascinating, iconic American — a prolific writer and publisher, groundbreaking scientist and inventor, a world-renowned diplomat and revolutionary, and signer of both the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution — reveals his remarkable life and contributions while scrutinizing his contradictions. Visit pbs.org/benfranklin.

The American Buffalo • Fridays, Jan. 5 & 12 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro The 2023 program chronicles the near decimation — and ultimate return — of the U.S. national mammal, and the species’ connection to Indigenous communities and the land. The production presents a biography of the iconic animal through North American history and across some of the continent’s most iconic landscapes, tracing the mammal’s evolution, its significance to the Great Plains and, most importantly, its relationship to the Indigenous People of North America.

For millennia, buffalo have evolved alongside Native people who relied on them for food and shelter; the stories of Native people anchor the series. Visit pbs.org/americanbuffalo.

2 JANUARY 2024 • Stream select programs via the PBS App.

Gates with guest Dionne Warwick

COURTESY MCGEE MEDIA

NEW SEASON

New episodes of acclaimed WETA co-production air Tuesdays at 8 p.m. starting January 2 on WETA PBS & WETA Metro; stream Season 10 on the PBS App — and Seasons 6-9 via WETA Passport

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ETA partner and celebrated scholar Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. this month returns for a new tenth anniversary season of the acclaimed genealogy series Finding Your Roots. The WETA co-production presents five new episodes this month, and five additional new episodes spanning February and April. Over the course of the new Season 10 programs, Gates uses historical detective work and cutting-edge DNA analysis to guide 18 celebrity guests through the branches of their family trees, sharing stories of ancestors and a few buried secrets as well. This season, Finding Your Roots also unravels the ancestral histories and family mysteries of three non-celebrity guests.

Season 10 spotlights an exciting new array of prominent guests. January programs feature musicians Alanis Morissette and Ciara; actors Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser; actors LeVar Burton and Wes Studi; musician Sammy Hagar and actor Ed O’Neill; and actor Bob Odenkirk and comedian Iliza Shlesinger. Among the season’s other guests are actors Danielle Brooks, Michael Douglas, Lena Dunham, Tracy Morgan, Anthony Ramos and Jesse Williams; musical artist Dionne Warwick; and journalist Sunny Hostin. Also included — in the final Season 10 episode on April 9 — are three special guests chosen as part of a 2022 nationwide search that garnered more than 9,000 submissions from hopeful fans.

Finding Your Roots deeply personalizes history and emphasizes human connections, illuminating shared humanity. Leading the historical inquiries and guiding each discovery is series writer, host and executive producer Henry Louis Gates, Jr., the Alphonse Fletcher University Professor and director of the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research at Harvard University.

“The family trees we unearth this season are especially fascinating and full of lessons and surprises from one generation to the next,” Gates said. “It is an enormous privilege for all of us who work on the show to bring it to public television. After all these years, I continue to be amazed by the discoveries we make that in various ways illuminate how connected we truly are.”

Assembling the family trees and ancestral narratives alongside Gates are DNA expert CeCe Moore (chief genetic genealogist for Parabon Nanolabs) and genealogists Nick Sheedy, Akosua Moore and Kimberly N. Morgan, who together have solved hundreds of mysteries and reconnected innumerable lost relatives over the past two decades.

Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Season 10 is a production of McGee Media, Inkwell Media, Kunhardt Films and WETA. Engage with the series — explore and share your family histories via social media using the hashtag #FindingYourRoots on Facebook, Twitter and TikTok; via Facebook.com/FindingYourRootsPBS and @HenryLouisGates; and on the series companion website, pbs.org/FindingYourRoots.

Corporate support for Season Ten of Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. is provided by Ancestry®, Johnson & Johnson and AARP. Major support is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Support is also provided by Ford Foundation, Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation, Candace King Weir and by members of The Inkwell Society and by public television viewers like you.

For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org. 3

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he new documentary The Cost of Inheritance, An America ReFramed Special explores the complex issue of reparations for African Americans in the United States using a thoughtful approach to history, historical injustices, systemic inequities, and the critical dialogue on racial conciliation. Through personal narratives, community inquiries and scholarly insights, the program illuminates the key issues, scope and rationale of the reparations debate. The film, directed by Peabody Award-winner Yoruba Richen, traces the nation’s legacy of systemic inequities to modern-day America and its racial wealth gap, examining the cumulative impact of racial discrimination and a lack of opportunities. The documentary outlines how reparations are Monday, Jan. 8 at 10 p.m. on defined and for whom they are sought — and offers context from WETA PBS; stream on the PBS App participants who include Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee, (D-Texas); Dr. Ron Daniels, president of the National African American Reparations Commission; Dr. Mary Frances Berry, historian, author, activist; and noted economist Shawn Rochester, author of “The Black Tax.” In addition to its presentation on WETA PBS, the film also airs on WETA World on Monday, January 15 at 8 p.m.

Funding for The Cost of Inheritance: An America ReFramed Special was provided by the Ford Foundation, the Hewlett Foundation, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Funding was also provided by public television viewers.

Racist Trees + Razing Liberty Square on Independent Lens

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Mondays, Jan. 22 & 29 at 10 p.m. on WETA PBS; stream on the PBS App

GERMAN AMERICAN BUND PARADE, NYC, OCT. 30, 1937; LIB. OF CONGRESS

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wo new Independent Lens films this month examine challenges facing communities of color in America. Racist Trees (Jan. 22) spotlights a contentious dispute in Palm Springs, California, that occurs when a historically Black neighborhood fights to remove a towering wall of tamarisk trees, and racial tensions ignite. The trees form a barrier, believed by some to segregate the community, frustrating residents who regard them as an enduring symbol of racism. Were the trees intentionally planted to exclude the Black neighborhood?

Racist Trees In Razing Liberty Square (Jan. 29), the Liberty City area of Miami, home to one of the oldest segregated public housing projects in the U.S., becomes ground zero for climate gentrification.

With rising sea levels, the area’s inland high ground has become real estate gold, creating a speculators’ market — and tensions — in the historically Black neighborhood, previously ignored by developers and policymakers alike.

American Experience: Nazi Town, USA

Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro; stream on the PBS App

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new American Experience documentary chronicles the rise and fall of the pro-Nazi German American Bund, led by Fritz Kuhn, and the threat posed by domestic fascism in the 1930s. Nazi Town, USA tells the largely unknown story of the Bund, which had scores of chapters in suburbs and big cities across the country and represented what many believe was a real threat of fascist subversion in the United States. The Bund, based in New York, held joint rallies with the Ku Klux Klan and ran dozens of summer camps for children centered around Nazi ideology and imagery.

The Bund emerged as Depression-era economic hardships left many Americans fearing that the whole social order might collapse — and extremist groups found willing converts. Its melding of patriotic values with virulent antiSemitism and anti-immigrant sentiment raises thorny issues that the nation continues to wrestle with today.

4 JANUARY 2024 • Stream select programs via the PBS App.

American Masters: Hopper: An American Love Story

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Tuesday, Jan. 2 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro; stream on the PBS App EDWARD HOPPER, NIGHTHAWKS, 1942; ART INSTITUTE CHICAGO

iography series American Masters spotlights one of the nation’s most famous artists, Edward Hopper, who left a lasting impression on the nation’s culture with iconic and enigmatic works including “Nighthawks,” “Chop Suey” and “House by the Railroad.” The realist painter inspired countless artists and filmmakers, from Alfred Hitchcock to Ridley Scott to the creators of The Simpsons. But little is known about Hopper’s own influences. In the new film, learn the secrets behind Hopper’s most famous works, meet the man behind the brush, and see how his marriage to fellow artist Josephine Nivison Hopper — who became his model, marketer and muse — shaped his art and career. Featuring Edward Hopper’s evocative images, archival footage and revealing research, the program offers an exploration into his complex life and how he became a wildly popular artist. Hopper’s story is further illuminated through readings of letters and diary entries, voiced

by Academy Award-winner J.K. Simmons and Emmy Award-winner Christine Baranski.

Nature: Big Little Journeys

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Wednesdays, Jan. 10, 17 & 24 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro; stream on the PBS App

©BBC NATURAL HISTORY UNIT

three-part Nature miniseries follows six tiny animals as they undertake epic travels and face extraordinary challenges to find home, food or a mate. While the distances may not seem monumental to us, grasses appear like skyscrapers and raindrops fall as big as apples to several of these diminutive travelers. Each episode of Nature: Big Little Journeys explores the adventures of two distinctive little creatures. The programs spotlight a walnut-sized turtle in Canada and a young bushbaby in South Africa as they seek homes (Episode 1: Home); a pangolin in Taiwan and a family of lion tamarins in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest seeking new food sources (Episode 2: Survival); and a matchstick-sized chameleon in Madagascar and a water vole in the Scottish Highlands as they risk everything to find a mate (Episode 3: Bloodlines). Working with scientists and conservationists around the world and using the latest camera technology, the series captures insights into the lives of these small but mighty animals.

NOVA: When Whales Could Walk

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Wednesday, Jan. 31 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro; stream on the PBS App

AHMED MOSAAD/CC BY-SA 4.0

cience series NOVA this month features encore presentations Arctic Drift (Jan. 3), about how climate change is affecting the Arctic; High-Risk High-Rise (Jan. 10), examining skyscrapers; Ultimate Space Telescope (Jan. 17), spotlighting NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope; and Iceman Reborn (Jan. 24), following research on European mummy Otzi, before presenting the new program When Whales Could Walk (Jan. 31). In the latter, the series visits Egypt’s Sahara Desert, where massive skeletons have been unearthed. In this spectacular fossil graveyard, paleontologists have identified a whole new species of ancient whale dating to 43 million years ago, and this predator wasn’t just able to swim — it also had four legs and could walk. Follow scientists as they search for new clues to the winding evolutionary path of mammals that moved from the land into the sea to become the largest animals on Earth.

For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org. 5

Stream with WETA Passport

The beloved adaptation of James Herriot’s stories of life as a vet in England’s Yorkshire Dales rolls out Season 4 on January 7. Binge-watch seven new episodes with WETA Passport as of the broadcast premiere.

Nature: Penguins: Meet the Family

©SHUTTERSTOCK/ BYVALET

In a drama based on a Nick Hornby novel, Gemma Arterton stars as a 1960s pageant queen who seeks work in London in TV sitcoms. Binge-watch six episodes with WETA Passport as of the January 7 broadcast premiere.

A celebration of one of Earth’s most iconic and beloved birds spotlights all 18 species of penguins in locations around the globe. Stream this and many other dazzling Nature films with WETA Passport.

Astrid, Series 3

COURTESY MASTERPIECE

The French drama returns, following the investigations of a crime researcher with Asperger’s syndrome and her police detective colleague. Binge-watch the eight new episodes as of January 5 with WETA Passport.

Downton Abbey, Series 1-6 Watch the most-viewed Masterpiece drama before it departs WETA Passport. Follow the engaging saga of a family of nobles and its servants in Edwardian England.

Binge-watch six seasons, available through January 31.

Also streaming with WETA Passport in January: Watch for new additions to the curated offerings in the international drama collection Walter’s Choice, including Season 4 of German detective series Luna & Sophie (available January 12), and Season 2 of Italian detective series Inspector Ricciardi (available January 19).

6 JANUARY 2024 • Stream select programs via the PBS App.

COURTESY PBS/WALTER PRESENTS

Season 4 of the popular drama following the further adventures of two Victorian-era detectives debuts January 7. Binge-watch the six new episodes with WETA Passport as of the broadcast premiere.

©POTBOILER PRODUCTIONS; ©SKY UK LIMITED

Funny Woman

Miss Scarlet and The Duke, Series 4 on Masterpiece

COURTESY MASTERPIECE

All Creatures Great and Small, Series 4 on Masterpiece

PLAYGROUND ENTERTAINMENT & MASTERPIECE

Stream your favorite shows with WETA Passport, a member benefit that offers access to a vast library of superb programs available for streaming on demand.

To learn how to access programming with WETA Passport, visit weta.org/passporthelp.

Primetime WETA PBS in January

Visit weta.org/schedule for the most up-to-date schedule information.

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Denotes WETA productions, co-productions and presentations

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1 Mon

Great Performances: From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2024

2 Tue

Finding Your Roots w/ Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Series 10: Born to Sing

American Masters: Hopper: An American Love Story

A Citizen’s Guide to Preserving Democracy

3 Wed

Nature: The Serengeti Rules

NOVA: Arctic Drift

Secrets of the Dead: Nero’s Sunken City

4 Thu

The Brokenwood Mysteries, Series 1 (Ep 1 of 4. Blood and Water)

5 Fri

Washington Week with The Atlantic

6 Sat

Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories w/ David Rubenstein (Ep 7 of 8. Stone Mountain)

Iconic America: Our Symbols and Stories w/ David Rubenstein (Ep 8 of 8. The Golden Gate Bridge)

The American Buffalo (Pt 1 of 2. Blood Memory) (to 12m)

7 Sun

Miss Scarlet and The Duke, Series 4 on Masterpiece (Pt 1 of 6. Elysium)

All Creatures Great and Small, Series 4 on Masterpiece (Pt 1 of 7. Broodiness)

Funny Woman (Pt 1 of 6)

8 Mon

Antiques Roadshow: Alaska Native Heritage Center, Hour 1

Get Out of Town: Deep Creek Lake, MD

The Cost of Inheritance: An America ReFramed Special

9 Tue

Finding Your Roots w/ Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Series 10: Forever Young

Independent Lens: Beyond Utopia

10 Wed

Nature: Big Little Journeys: Home

NOVA: High-Risk High-Rise

11 Thu

The Brokenwood Mysteries, Series 1 (Ep 2 of 4. Sour Grapes)

12 Fri

Washington Week with The Atlantic

13 Sat

Taken Hostage, An American Experience Special (Pt 1 of 2)

The American Buffalo (Pt 2 of 2. Into the Storm) (to 12m)

14 Sun

Miss Scarlet and The Duke, Series 4 on Masterpiece (Pt 2 of 6. Six Feet Under)

All Creatures Great and Small, Series 4 on Masterpiece (Pt 2 of 7. Carpe Diem)

Funny Woman (Pt 2 of 6)

15 Mon

Antiques Roadshow: Alaska Native Heritage Center, Hour 2

Get Out of Town: Harpers Ferry, WV

POV: Brief Tender Light (to 11:30pm)

16 Tue

Finding Your Roots w/ Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Series 10: Fathers and Sons

Tutankhamun: Allies & Enemies (Pts 1 & 2 of 2)

17 Wed

Nature: Big Little Journeys: Survival

NOVA: Ultimate Space Telescope

18 Thu

The Brokenwood Mysteries, Series 1 (Ep 3 of 4. Playing the Lie)

19 Fri

Washington Week with The Atlantic

20 Sat

Taken Hostage, An American Experience Special (Pt 2 of 2)

Benjamin Franklin (Pt 1 of 2. Join or Die) (1706-1774) (to 12m)

21 Sun

Miss Scarlet and The Duke, Series 4 on Masterpiece (Pt 3 of 6. Origins)

All Creatures Great and Small, Series 4 on Masterpiece (Pt 3 of 7. Right Hand Man)

Funny Woman (Pt 3 of 6)

22 Mon

Antiques Roadshow: Alaska Native Heritage Center, Hour 3

Get Out of Town: Charlottesville, VA

Independent Lens: Racist Trees (to 11:30pm)

23 Tue

Finding Your Roots w/ Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Series 10: Buried Secrets

American Experience: Nazi Town, USA

Frontline: Israel’s Second Front

24 Wed

Nature: Big Little Journeys: Bloodlines

NOVA: Iceman Reborn

Secrets of the Dead: Hannibal in the Alps

25 Thu

The Brokenwood Mysteries, Series 1 (Ep 4 of 4. Hunting the Stag)

26 Fri

Washington Week with The Atlantic

27 Sat

Ken Burns Presents The Gene: An Intimate History (Pt 1 of 2)

28 Sun

Miss Scarlet and The Duke, Series 4 on Masterpiece (Pt 4 of 6. The Diamond Feather)

All Creatures Great and Small, Series 4 on Masterpiece (Pt 4 of 7. By the Book)

Funny Woman (Pt 4 of 6)

29 Mon

Antiques Roadshow: Old Sturbridge Village, Hour 1

Get Out of Town: Philadelphia, PA

Independent Lens: Razing Liberty Square (to 11:30pm)

30 Tue

Finding Your Roots w/ Henry Louis Gates, Jr., Series 10: Hold the Laughter

Frontline: Democracy on Trial

31 Wed

Nature: Gorilla

NOVA: When Whales Could Walk

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History with David Rubenstein, Season 5

History with David Rubenstein, Season 5

History with David Rubenstein, Season 5

History with David Rubenstein, Season 5

Great Performances: From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2024 (encore)

Death in Paradise, Series 10 (Pt 1 of 8)

British Antiques Roadshow

The American Buffalo (Pt 1 of 2. Blood Memory)

If You Lived Here: H Street Corridor, DC

Secrets of the Dead: Van Gogh’s Ear

Death in Paradise, Series 10 (Pt 2 of 8)

British Antiques Roadshow

The American Buffalo (Pt 2 of 2. Into the Storm)

If You Lived Here: Shaw, DC

Secrets of the Dead: Ben Franklin’s Bones

Death in Paradise, Series 10 (Pt 3 of 8)

British Antiques Roadshow

Benjamin Franklin (Pt 1 of 2. Join or Die) (1706-1774)

If You Lived Here: Old Town Alexandria, VA

Death in Paradise, Series 10 (Pt 4 of 8)

British Antiques Roadshow

Benjamin Franklin (Pt 2 of 2. An American) (1775-1790)

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PBS NewsHour airs weeknights at 7 p.m.

PBS News Weekend airs Sat./Sun. at 6 p.m.

Benjamin Franklin (Pt 2 of 2. An American) (1775-1790) (to 12m)

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If You Lived Here: Silver Spring, MD

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Secrets of the Dead: Jamestown’s Dark Winter

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Amanpour and Company airs late weeknights (check listings).

TV Listings WETA PBS in January Listings are accurate as of press time. For latest schedules, visit weta.org/schedule or call 703-998-2724.

WETA PBS is devoted to children’s educational programming 8 a.m.–3 p.m., Monday-Friday. For 24 hours of children’s programming each day, tune in to the WETA PBS Kids channel. See page 15 for information.

Program Key Blue type — WETA productions, co-productions and presentations.

R — Repeat of recent programming.

PHOTO BY WOLF-DIETER GRABNER

has left a lasting impression on American culture. Meet the man behind the brush, and see how his marriage to fellow artist Josephine Nivison Hopper shaped his art and career.

10:00 A CITIZEN’S GUIDE TO PRESERVING DEMOCRACY — In a program based on Richard Haass’ book The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens, interviews and real-life examples explore how Americans are working towards strengthening democracy. See a discussion with Haass on History with David Rubenstein, Friday, January 12 at 8:30 p.m.

3 Wednesday Monday, January 1 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro Great Performances: From Vienna: The New Year’s Celebration 2024 features festive music performed by the Vienna Philharmonic, led by conductor Christian Thielemann. Hugh Bonneville returns as host.

1 Monday WEEKDAYS IN JANUARY: 6AM NHK NEWSLINE 6:30AM BBC NEWS 7AM (Mondays:) PBS NEWS WEEKEND 7AM (Tuesdays-Saturdays:) PBS NEWSHOUR — R 7:30 (Mon:) WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC — R 8AM-3PM WETA KIDS PROGRAMMING 5PM AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Rpt of previous night 6PM BBC NEWS: THE CONTEXT 6:30 BBC NEWS AMERICA 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Each weeknight, the WETA production presents in-depth news reports and analysis of current events with a news summary, live studio interviews and discussions of domestic and international issues. Amna Nawaz and Geoff Bennett anchor.

Visit pbs.org/newshour. Repeats next day, 7am 8:00 GREAT PERFORMANCES: FROM VIENNA: THE NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATION 2024 — Celebrate the New Year with waltzes by Strauss, and more, performed from Vienna’s Musikverein by the Vienna Philharmonic led by guest conductor Christian Thielemann. Hugh Bonneville returns as host. Repeats tonight 9:30 GREAT PERFORMANCES: FROM VIENNA: THE NEW YEAR’S CELEBRATION 2024 — (Encore) R 11:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — Capping primetime programming each weeknight, Christiane Amanpour leads conversations with global thought leaders on contemporary issues. Repeats next weekday, 5pm

8:00 NATURE: THE SERENGETI RULES — Travel from the Arctic Ocean to Pacific tide pools with a pioneering group of scientists who make surprising discoveries that transform human understanding of nature and ecology.

9:00 NOVA: ARCTIC DRIFT — Join scientists on the biggest Arctic research expedition of all time. Facing hungry polar bears, perilous sea ice cracks, and brutal cold, the team strives to understand the forces that are changing the region — and the world — forever.

10:00 SECRETS OF THE DEAD: NERO’S SUNKEN CITY — Baiae was an escape for ancient Rome’s elite, the Las Vegas of its day. Now, archaeologists are mapping underwater ruins and piecing together what life was like in this playground for the rich.

4 Thursday 8:00 THE BROKENWOOD MYSTERIES, SERIES 1 — A New Zealand mystery series follows DI Mike Shepherd, a quirky new arrival in the town of Brokenwood, and his assistant Kristin Sims, a by-the-book investigator 15 years younger than her boss’s car. Shepherd soon discovers that Brokenwood is full of secrets and suspicions. Episode 1 of 4. Blood and Water. When the body of a local farmer is fished out of the river, Shepherd wonders if the death was suicide, accidental death, or something more sinister.

9:30 DEATH IN PARADISE, SERIES 10 — The Caribbean-set mystery series stars Ralf Little as fish-out-of-water DI Neville Parker, who is settling in as head of the police

8:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 10 — In a new season of this WETA co-production, join Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr., as he delves into the genealogy of famous Americans. Episode 1 of 10. Born to Sing. Gates explores the remarkable roots of singers Alanis Morissette and Ciara, using DNA analysis and genealogical detective work to travel back centuries. He reveals his guests’ hidden connections to history — and to music.

9:00 AMERICAN MASTERS: HOPPER: AN AMERICAN LOVE STORY — Discover the secrets behind the most iconic and enigmatic works of artist Edward Hopper. Known for “Nighthawks” and other evocative paintings, Hopper

8 JANUARY 2024 • Stream select programs via the PBS App.

COURTESY MCGEE MEDIA

2 Tuesday FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR. A WETA CO-PRODUCTION Tuesdays at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro Genealogy series Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates, Jr. enters Season 10, presenting 10 new episodes starting January 2.

The new season features 21 guests, including LeVar Burton (above).

detective team on the fictional island of Saint Marie, a British territory with a French colonial history. Joséphine Jobert co-stars as DS Florence Cassell. Part 1 of 8. When a TV news presenter is found strangled in her pool, Neville is sure her co-host is guilty. But given that the man was live on air at the time of the murder, how could he have done it?

10:30 BRITISH ANTIQUES ROADSHOW

5 Friday 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC — In WETA’s weekly production, journalist and The Atlantic editorin-chief Jeffrey Goldberg moderates a roundtable discussion with award-winning journalists who provide reporting and analysis of the major news stories from the nation’s capital. Visit pbs.org/washingtonweek.

Repeats Sat 1/6, 6am, 6:30pm; Mon 1/8, 7:30am 8:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SERIES 5 — In a new season of this WETA presentation, Washington, D.C.-based author/interviewer, financier and philanthropist David Rubenstein talks with more of America’s top scholars and writers, illuminating how history is made. Episode 1 of 10. Beverly Gage. Author of the Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century.

Repeats Sun 1/7, 6:30pm 9:00 THE AMERICAN BUFFALO — A WETA and Florentine Films co-production directed by Ken Burns tells the story of the near extinction and improbable rescue of America’s national mammal. Part 1 of 2. Blood Memory.

Once numbering in the tens of millions and sustaining the lives of Native people, the American buffalo is driven to the brink of extinction. The film recounts the tragic collision of two opposing views of the natural world. Repeats Sat 1/6, 10pm

6 Saturday 6AM WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC — R 6:30 FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER — R 7AM PBS NEWSHOUR — R 8AM JOURNEYS IN JAPAN 8:30 RICK STEVES’ EUROPE — (through Jan. 13) 8:30 LEGACY LIST WITH MATT PAXTON — Starts January 20.

9AM THIS OLD HOUSE + ASK THIS OLD HOUSE 10AM IT’S ACADEMIC — See 7 p.m. listing.

10:30 DINING WITH THE CHEF 11AM TACO MAFIA 11:30 NEW ORLEANS COOKING WITH KEVIN BELTON 12N THE KEY INGREDIENT WITH SHERI CASTLE 12:30 CHRISTOPHER KIMBALL’S MILK STREET TELEVISION 1:00 MARIA’S PORTUGUESE TABLE 1:30 LIDIA’S KITCHEN 2:00 IN JULIA’S KITCHEN WITH MASTER CHEFS 2:30 SARA’S WEEKNIGHT MEALS 3:00 FRENCH MAGNOLIA COOKS — Ends January 13.

3:00 MOVEABLE FEAST WITH RELISH — Starts January 20.

3:30 DREAM OF ITALY 4:00 COOK’S COUNTRY FROM AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN 4:30 AMERICA’S TEST KITCHEN FROM COOK’S ILLUSTRATED — New season starts January 6!

5:00 PATI’S MEXICAN TABLE

7 Sunday 6AM-9AM WETA KIDS PROGRAMMING 9AM ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, SERIES 3 ON MASTERPIECE — In anticipation of Season 4, premiering tonight, WETA reprises Season 3 of the drama that follows the life of veterinarian James Herriot in 1930s Yorkshire. Pts 1 & 2 air 9-11:30 a.m.; Pts 3 & 4 air 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m.; Pts 5 & 6 air 2-4:30 p.m.; and Pt 7 airs 4:30-6 p.m.

6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors. Repeats Monday, 7am 6:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SERIES 5 — Episode 1 of 10. Beverly Gage. R 7:00 DOC MARTIN, SERIES 10 — In the drama’s final season, a year has passed since the events of Series 9. Might Martin (Martin Clunes) want to practice medicine again? Part 1 of 9. I Will Survive. Martin looks after James Henry and four-month-old Mary Elizabeth, while Louisa is now the one seeing patients — for her counseling practice. When the mother of one of Louisa’s patients presents with serious symptoms

©SPP & ALL3MEDIA INTERNATIONAL

PHOTO COURTESY THE WNET GROUP

Tuesday, January 2 at 10 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro In A Citizen’s Guide to Preserving Democracy, author Richard Haass and journalist Hari Sreenivasan discuss themes in Haass’ bestselling book The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens.

5:30 SAMANTHA BROWN’S PLACES TO LOVE — New season starts January 6!

6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors.

6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC — R 7:00 IT’S ACADEMIC — The long-running high school TV quiz show showcases the academic achievements of local D.C.-area students. Emmy Award-winning journalist Hillary Howard hosts. Competing this week are Bullis, Centreville and DeMatha high schools. Airs 10am Saturdays, repeating 7pm; and Mondays, 3pm. Stream on the PBS App and now at YouTube.com/wetapbs.

7:30 PBS ARTS TALK — Artists and cultural icons break down their craft and careers in this series through thoughtprovoking conversations. Episode 2. Grammy- and Pulitzer Prize-winning musician Rhiannon Giddens and Tony Award-winner Brian Stokes Mitchell discuss theater and musical artistry.

8:00 ICONIC AMERICA: OUR SYMBOLS AND STORIES WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN — In this documentary series, a WETA co-production, David Rubenstein explores America’s history through examinations of iconic national symbols: indelible artifacts, places and archetypes. Episode 7 of 8. Stone Mountain. Delve into the fate of the monument at Stone Mountain, Georgia, the Confederate Mount Rushmore, revealing a nation wrestling with its past as Confederate statues are torn down across the country. Repeats Sun 1/7, 11pm 9:00 ICONIC AMERICA: OUR SYMBOLS AND STORIES WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN — Episode 8 of 8. The Golden Gate Bridge. The Golden Gate Bridge is an engineering marvel that symbolizes America’s can-do spirit. Can America continue to undertake bold and ambitious infrastructure projects in the 21st century? Repeats Sun 1/7, 12m 10:00 THE AMERICAN BUFFALO — Part 1 of 2. Blood Memory. R 12M THE AMERICAN BUFFALO: A STORY OF RESILIENCE — A companion program to Ken Burns’s film The American Buffalo presents a conversation — moderated by Judy Woodruff — between Burns and experts Jason Baldes, Rosalyn LaPier and Dan Flores, exploring lessons and themes from the film.

Thursdays at 8 p.m. starting January 4 on WETA PBS New Zealand-set series The Brokenwood Mysteries stars Neill Rea as Mike Shepherd, an investigator resettling from Auckland, and Fern Sutherland as detective Kristin Sims. Each show features one case.

For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org. 9

inquiries, and scholarly insights, the program aims to inspire understanding of the scope and rationale of the reparations debate.

GET OUT OF TOWN, SEASON 1 A WETA PRODUCTION Mondays, 9 p.m. on WETA PBS (8 p.m. on WETA Metro) starting Jan. 8 WETA reprises episodes of Get Out of Town, the local travel series that explores destinations within a few hours of Washington, D.C. Above: Mother-daughter hosts Laurita and Lauren Portee in Richmond.

but refuses to allow Martin to examine her, he finally admits that he wants to be a doctor again.

8:00 MISS SCARLET AND THE DUKE, SERIES 4 ON MASTERPIECE — Eliza has taken over Nash & Sons and faces a looming decision about her relationship with The Duke.

Kate Phillips and Stuart Martin star. Part 1 of 6. Elysium.

Eliza teams up with Duke to investigate a burglary in a high-end brothel whose clients include important members of the British government.

9:00 ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, SERIES 4 ON MASTERPIECE — With Europe at war, the community in Darrowby is pulling together more than ever before.

Part 1 of 7. Broodiness. Skeldale House is busier than ever while Tristan is away serving. James and Helen dream about the future, hoping that James will not be called to duty. When Mrs. Hall takes a leap of faith, Siegfried offers his support.

10:00 FUNNY WOMAN — In this drama, Gemma Arterton stars as a small-town beauty queen who aspires to work in comedy television in 1960s London. After landing a TV audition, she aims to re-define the prevailing attitude toward funny women while on a mission to reinvent herself. Part 1 of 6. It’s 1964, and Barbara Parker of Blackpool sets off for London to embark on her dream of working in show business.

11:00 ICONIC AMERICA: OUR SYMBOLS AND STORIES WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN — Episodes 7 & 8 of 8. Stone Mountain/The Golden Gate Bridge. R

8 Monday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Weeknights. Visit pbs.org/newshour.

Repeats next day, 7am 8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: ALASKA NATIVE HERITAGE CENTER, HOUR 1 — Watch Roadshow’s first visit to Alaska for treasures that include a 1969 Rolex Oyster cosmograph, an English bass violin, and Susan Butcher’s 1990 Iditarod trophy. Which Anchorage find is worth $50,000 to $100,000? Repeats Mon 1/15, 4pm 9:00 GET OUT OF TOWN, SEASON 1 — Hosted by motherdaughter duo Laurita and Lauren Portee, WETA’s local series spotlights must-see destinations within a few hours of the D.C. area. Encore Episode: Deep Creek Lake, MD. Mountain and water views beckon; activities include paddleboarding and kayaking on Deep Creek Lake, roller-coastering on Wisp Mountain, and more.

9:30 IF YOU LIVED HERE, SEASON 1 — WETA’s house-hunting series explores properties and neighborhoods throughout Metro D.C. while celebrating each area’s history, culture and flavor. Encore Episode: H Street Corridor, DC. Hosts Christine Louise and John Begeny join realtor Harrison Beacher to tour properties around the District’s historic H Street and explore the neighborhood.

10:00 THE COST OF INHERITANCE: AN AMERICA REFRAMED SPECIAL — A one-hour documentary explores the complex issue of reparations in the United States using a thoughtful approach to history, historical injustices, systemic inequities, and the critical dialogue on racial conciliation. Through personal narratives, community

10 JANUARY 2024 • Stream select programs via the PBS App.

8:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 10 — In a new season of this WETA co-production, join Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr., as he delves into the genealogy of famous Americans. Episode 2 of 10. Forever Young. Gates meets Valerie Bertinelli and Brendan Fraser — two actors who found fame when they were young and lived their lives in the limelight. Each discovers ancestors who paved the way for their success.

Repeats Sat 1/13, midnight; Sun 1/14, 3pm 9:00 INDEPENDENT LENS: BEYOND UTOPIA — This gripping documentary follows families on a journey to leave North Korea, as the threat of severe punishment and possible execution looms over their passage. Once taught that their homeland was paradise, they now risk everything in escaping it. (2 hrs.)

10 Wednesday 8:00 NATURE: BIG LITTLE JOURNEYS: HOME — Dive into the worlds of six tiny animals as they embark upon epic journeys to find a home, food or a mate, traveling through extraordinary landscapes where every step counts. Home. In Canada, a tiny turtle ventures through a forest of giants in search of the lake where she will spend the next 50 years of her life. In South Africa, a young bushbaby is drawn towards a world of light in his quest to find a new home. Repeats Sun 1/14, 1pm 9:00 NOVA: HIGH-RISK HIGH-RISE — Soaring skyscrapers are potent symbols of prestige, and architects are vying to build them ever higher. But as they find new ways to defend them against fires, wind and earthquakes, can they also make them livable, interactive, and ecofriendly? Repeats Sun 1/14, noon 10:00 SECRETS OF THE DEAD: VAN GOGH’S EAR — The night when painter Vincent van Gogh cut his own ear defines his turbulent life and art. Generations have theorized about what really happened on December 23, 1888, in the French town of Arles, but no one has been clear on the details — until now. Repeats Sun 1/14, 2pm

11 Thursday 8:00 THE BROKENWOOD MYSTERIES, SERIES 1 — Episode 2 of 4. Sour Grapes. The morning after choosing the winner of the annual Brokenwood wine show, a guest judge is found dead in one of the loser’s vats of fermenting pinot noir. The vintner in question is more concerned with another crime — a tampering with her wine.

9:30 DEATH IN PARADISE, SERIES 10 — Part 2 of 8. The investigative team is baffled when an archaeologist is poisoned during a dig, but there is no evidence to prove how it was done. Meanwhile, Neville tests his skills in an island crab-cooking competition.

10:30 BRITISH ANTIQUES ROADSHOW

NATHALIE SWAIN-DIAZ/©BBC NHU

WETA

9 Tuesday

Wednesdays, Jan. 10, 17 & 24 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro Three-part Nature miniseries Big Little Journeys follows six heroic tiny creatures in locations around the globe as they undertake monumental travels, risking all to find shelter, food or a mate.

12 Friday 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC — Jeffrey Goldberg moderates the roundtable discussion of the news with award-winning journalists. Visit pbs.org/washingtonweek. Repeats Sat 1/13, 6am, 6:30pm; Sun 1/14, 11:30am; Mon 1/15, 7:30am 8:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SERIES 5 — Episode 2 of 10. Richard Haass. Author of The Bill of Obligations: The Ten Habits of Good Citizens. Repeats Sun 1/14, 6:30pm 9:00 THE AMERICAN BUFFALO — The WETA and Florentine Films co-production directed by Ken Burns continues.

Part 2 of 2. Into the Storm. By the late 1880s, the buffalo is on the brink of extinction, but a diverse and unlikely collection of Americans start a movement that rescues the national mammal from disappearing forever.

Repeats Sat 1/13, 10pm; Sun 1/14, 4pm

13 Saturday 6AM-6PM See the Saturday, January 6 listings.

6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors.

6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC — R 7:00 IT’S ACADEMIC — The local student quiz show this week features Parkdale, Rockville and West Springfield high schools. Airs 10am Saturdays, repeating 7pm; and Mondays, 3pm (except 1/15). Stream on the PBS App and now at YouTube.com/wetapbs.

7:30 PBS ARTS TALK — Artists and cultural icons break down their craft and careers. Episode 3. Journalist Ann Curry conducts an interview with author Min Jin Lee about her book Pachinko and beyond. Lee shares her personal connection to the novel — and discusses her relationship with religion and her tenacity in the fight against Asian hate.

8:00 TAKEN HOSTAGE: AN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE SPECIAL — Revisit the Iran Hostage Crisis, when 52 Americans were held hostage at the U.S. Embassy in Tehran. The story is told through eyewitness accounts. Part 1 of 2.

Explore how the Shah of Iran’s unwavering support from his ally, America, over a quarter-century — and the violent Islamic revolution that overthrew him in 1979 — set the stage for the Iran Hostage Crisis. Repeats Sun 1/14, 11pm 10:00 THE AMERICAN BUFFALO — Part 2 of 2. Into the Storm. R 12M FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 10 — Episode 2 of 10. Forever Young. R

15 Monday 8AM-2PM EYES ON THE PRIZE, SERIES 1 — The acclaimed documentary series examines the history of America’s Civil Rights Movement. Julian Bond narrates. 8am: Part 1 of 6. Awakenings 1954-1956. 9am: Part 2 of 6. Fighting Back 1957-1962. 10am: Part 3 of 6. Ain’t Scared of Your Jails 1960-1961. 11am: Episode 4 of 6. No Easy Walk 1961-1963. 12n: Episode 5 of 6. Mississippi: Is This America? 1963-1964. 1pm: Episode 6 of 6. Bridge to Freedom 1965.

2:00 JOHN LEWIS: GET IN THE WAY — Follow the journey of civil rights hero, congressman and human rights champion John Lewis (1940-2020).

3:00 AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: GOIN’ BACK TO T-TOWN — Hear the extraordinary history of Greenwood, a Black community in segregated Tulsa, Oklahoma; residents of “T-Town” share their recollections.

4:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: ALASKA NATIVE HERITAGE CENTER, HOUR 1 — R 5:00 AMANPOUR AND COMPANY — R 6:00 BBC NEWS: THE CONTEXT + BBC NEWS AMERICA 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Weeknights. Visit pbs.org/newshour.

Repeats next day, 7am 8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: ALASKA NATIVE HERITAGE CENTER, HOUR 2 — Watch Alaska appraisals, like a Paul Revere Jr. silver tablespoon; Harry Karstens’ ice axe from his first ascent of Denali, ca. 1913; and a Zacharias

JAMES KARALES, SELMA-TO-MONTGOMERY MARCH

REZA/GETTY IMAGES

Jan. 13 & 20, 8 p.m. on WETA PBS; Jan 11 & 18, 8 p.m. on WETA Metro Taken Hostage, a two-part American Experience special, revisits the Iran Hostage Crisis, when 52 Americans were held at the occupied U.S. Embassy in Tehran: Above: Iranians burn an American flag, 1980.

3:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 10 — Episode 2 of 10. Forever Young. R 4:00 THE AMERICAN BUFFALO — Part 2 of 2. Into the Storm. R 6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors. Repeats Monday, 7am 6:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SERIES 5 — Episode 2 of 10. Richard Haass. R 7:00 DOC MARTIN, SERIES 10 — Part 2 of 9. One Night Only.

The Portwenn surgery has reopened, but between Martin and Louisa sharing the office and a less-thancompetent new receptionist, things aren’t running very smoothly. When Louisa’s childhood dream house goes on the market, she jumps at the chance for a larger space. The homeowner is an accident-prone widower who seems haunted by his wife’s death — perhaps literally.

8:00 MISS SCARLET AND THE DUKE, SERIES 4 ON MASTERPIECE — Part 2 of 6. Six Feet Under. When a close friend of Mr. Potts is murdered, Eliza finds herself investigating the dark and macabre world of Victorian undertakers.

9:00 ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, SERIES 4 ON MASTERPIECE — Part 2 of 7. Carpe Diem. Siegfried has the bright idea of bringing in an experienced bookkeeper, Miss Harbottle, to bring method to their madness. James and Helen take inspiration from Siegfried’s ‘Carpe Diem’ approach and make a long-awaited decision.

10:00 FUNNY WOMAN — Part 2 of 6. Barbara lands a lead role in a new TV sitcom, but just as she’s about to realize her dream, news from home threatens to derail her plans.

Will she return to Blackpool or seize her moment in London?

11:00 TAKEN HOSTAGE: AN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE SPECIAL — Part 1 of 2. R

14 Sunday 6AM-9AM WETA KIDS PROGRAMMING 9AM WHITE HOUSE CHRONICLE 9:30 TO THE CONTRARY WITH BONNIE ERBE 10AM THIS IS AMERICA AND THE WORLD WITH DENNIS WHOLEY 10:30 DW EUROMAXX – LIFESTYLE EUROPE 11:00 FIRING LINE WITH MARGARET HOOVER — Repeats Saturdays, 6:30am 11:30 WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC — R 12N NOVA: HIGH-RISK HIGH-RISE — R 1:00 NATURE: BIG LITTLE JOURNEYS: HOME — R 2:00 SECRETS OF THE DEAD: VAN GOGH’S EAR — R

Monday, January 15, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. on WETA PBS In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, WETA presents the landmark documentary Eyes on the Prize, the award-winning video history of the Civil Rights Movement in America (1950s through mid-1960s).

For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org. 11

16 Tuesday 8:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 10 — In a new season of this WETA co-production, join Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr., as he delves into the genealogy of famous Americans.

Episode 3 of 10. Fathers and Sons. Gates meets actors LeVar Burton and Wes Studi — two men who grew up without their fathers. Gates introduces them to ancestors they’ve never known — revealing connections to key moments in history. Repeats Sat 1/20, midnight; Sun 1/21, 3pm 9:00 TUTANKHAMUN: ALLIES & ENEMIES — This 2022 film marked the 100th anniversary of the discovery and opening of King Tut’s tomb; Egyptian archaeologist Dr. Yasmin El Shazly hosts. Parts 1 & 2 of 2. Explore the mysteries and unanswered questions about the boy king’s life and burial, his infamous father’s religious revolution, and those advising him as he took the throne during one of the most tumultuous periods of Egyptian history. (2 hrs.)

17 Wednesday

JENNY IRENE MILLER FOR GBH/©2023 WGBH EDUC. FOUNDATION

8:00 NATURE: BIG LITTLE JOURNEYS: SURVIVAL — Dive into the worlds of tiny animals as they embark upon epic journeys to find a home, food or a mate. Survival. In Taiwan, a Formosan pangolin travels through a land of giants to find a mate in a protected forest, while in Brazil’s Atlantic Forest, a family of golden-headed lion tamarins journey from the edge of their world into a land of plenty. Repeats Sun 1/21, 1pm 9:00 NOVA: ULTIMATE SPACE TELESCOPE — Follow the dramatic story of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope — the most ambitious machine ever launched into space — through a series of high-stakes milestones, from its conception to completion. Peering deeper back in time than ever before, can the telescope answer some of astronomy’s biggest and most complex questions?

Repeats Sun 1/21, noon

BRIEF TENDER LIGHT/AMERICAN DOCUMENTARY

Nicholas Haida totem pole, ca. 1890. Find out which one is most valuable. Repeats Mon 12/18, 4pm 9:00 GET OUT OF TOWN, SEASON 1 — WETA’s local series spotlights must-see destinations within a few hours of the D.C. area. Encore Episode: Harpers Ferry, WV. Mother-daughter hosts Laurita and Lauren Portee experience history, enjoy delicious meals and go adventuring. From tours of Harpers Ferry sites to rafting down the Shenandoah, this destination is full of surprises.

9:30 IF YOU LIVED HERE, SEASON 1 — WETA’s house-hunting series explores properties and neighborhoods throughout Metro D.C. Encore Episode. Shaw, DC. Accompanied by realtor Judy Cranford, hosts Christine and John visit properties on 9th Street, K Street and O Street, and learn about the historic community.

10:00 POV: BRIEF TENDER LIGHT — At MIT, a Ghanaian alum follows four African students who aspire to become change agents back home. Now, living in America, each must refine their ideas about the world, themselves, and how to transform youthful ideals into action as adults. (90 min.)

Monday, January 15 at 10 p.m. on WETA PBS POV: Brief Tender Light follows four African students at MIT who hope to become agents of positive change back home. Each must refine their ideas and work out how to transform ideals into action.

10:00 SECRETS OF THE DEAD: BEN FRANKLIN’S BONES — When human bones were found in the basement of Benjamin Franklin’s London home, people wondered if he had a dark side. The remains weren’t victims of violent acts, however; they were used in an anatomy school that helped shape modern medicine. Repeats Sun 1/21, 2pm

18 Thursday 8:00 THE BROKENWOOD MYSTERIES, SERIES 1 — Episode 3 of 4. Playing the Lie. Four of the five committee members of Brokenwood Golf Club start on their regular morning round only to find the dead body of the fifth in a bunker near the first green. Suspicion falls on the so-called Clubhouse Bandit, who has been stealing trophies.

9:30 DEATH IN PARADISE, SERIES 10 — Part 3 of 8. Neville is left perplexed when a lottery winner is found dead and the body then disappears. While preparing for the birth of his twins, JP has an unruly new officer to train.

10:30 BRITISH ANTIQUES ROADSHOW

19 Friday 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC — Jeffrey Goldberg moderates the roundtable discussion of the news with award-winning journalists. Visit pbs.org/washingtonweek. Repeats Sat 1/20, 6am, 6:30pm; Sun 1/21, 11:30am; Mon 1/22, 7:30am 8:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SERIES 5 — Episode 3 of 10. Craig L. Symonds. Author of Nimitz at War: Command Leadership from Pearl Harbor to Tokyo Bay. Repeats Sun 1/21, 6:30pm 9:00 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN — Ken Burns’s documentary, a Florentine Films and WETA co-production, explores the revolutionary life of one of the 18th century’s most consequential and compelling personalities, whose work and words unlocked the mystery of electricity and helped create the United States. Part 1 of 2. Join or Die (1706-1774). After building a printing empire in Philadelphia with his wife, Franklin gains worldwide fame from electricity experiments, then spends years in London trying to keep Britain and America together as his family comes apart. Repeats Sat 1/20, 10pm; Sun 1/21, 4pm

20 Saturday

Mondays, Jan. 8, 15 & 22, 8 p.m. on WETA PBS; 9 p.m. on WETA Metro Antiques Roadshow makes its first visit to Alaska in three new episodes. Above: In Hour 2, Laura Woolley (at left) appraises Angela Lansbury/MGM costumes, circa 1945, in Anchorage.

12 JANUARY 2024 • Stream select programs via the PBS App.

6AM-6PM See the Saturday, January 6 listings.

6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors.

6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC — R 7:00 IT’S ACADEMIC — The local student quiz show this week features Seneca Valley, Sherwood and W.T. Woodson high schools. Airs 10am Saturdays, repeating 7pm; and Mondays, 3pm. Stream on the PBS App and now at YouTube.com/wetapbs.

7:30 PBS ARTS TALK — Artists and cultural icons break down their craft and careers. Episode 4. Ballerina Misty Copeland leads two-time National Arts Club Prize-winner Nathaniel Mary Quinn in a discussion about the painter’s art — and his journey from Chicago’s South Side to becoming an internationally celebrated arts figure.

WETA/NEWSHOUR PRODUCTIONS, LLC

8:00 TAKEN HOSTAGE: AN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE SPECIAL — Part 2 of 2. Through accounts from hostages, journalists and officials, learn how Iranian students held 52 hostages at the American embassy in Tehran from November 1979 to January 1981 — a defining crisis of Jimmy Carter’s presidency. Repeats Sun 1/21, 11pm 10:00 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN — Part 1 of 2. Join or Die (17061774). R 12M FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 10 — Episode 3 of 10. Fathers and Sons. R

21 Sunday 6AM-11:30AM See the Sunday, January 14 listings.

11:30 WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC — R 12N NOVA: ULTIMATE SPACE TELESCOPE — R 1:00 NATURE: BIG LITTLE JOURNEYS: SURVIVAL — R 2:00 SECRETS OF THE DEAD: BEN FRANKLIN’S BONES — R 3:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 10 — Episode 3 of 10. Fathers and Sons. R 4:00 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN — Part 1 of 2. Join or Die (17061774). R 6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors. Repeats Monday, 7am 6:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SERIES 5 — Episode 3 of 10. Craig L. Symonds. R 7:00 DOC MARTIN, SERIES 10 — Part 3 of 9. How Long Has This Been Going On? While checking on a sick sheepfarmer, the Doc runs into Stewart James, a patient who used to suffer from delusions that he lived with a giant squirrel. Stewart is now starting a survival course business, and he invites Al and PC Penhale to join him in the woods for a test run. When Stewart begins to behave oddly, Al worries he’s having a mental breakdown and must figure out how to get help. Ben Miller guest stars.

8:00 MISS SCARLET AND THE DUKE, SERIES 4 ON MASTERPIECE — Part 3 of 6. Origins. The story of how it all began: It’s 12 years earlier and Eliza and The Duke meet for the very first time.

9:00 ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, SERIES 4 ON MASTERPIECE — Part 3 of 7. Right Hand Man. Busy and exhausted, James and Helen cannot get any time together. James thinks he’s found a solution when he hires a new trainee vet, Richard, but things don’t quite work out as he expects.

10:00 FUNNY WOMAN — Part 3 of 6. Barbara (aka Sophie Straw) sees her life change overnight as the show is a huge hit. Intoxicated by success, she embarks on a romance with co-star Clive.

11:00 TAKEN HOSTAGE: AN AMERICAN EXPERIENCE SPECIAL — Part 2 of 2. R

22 Monday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Weeknights. Visit pbs.org/newshour.

Repeats next day, 7am 8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: ALASKA NATIVE HERITAGE CENTER, HOUR 3 — Wrapping up Roadshow’s visit to Alaska, see finds that include an Alaska belt buckle, ca.

1975; an Elvis Presley King Creole movie poster; and Stephen Decatur warrant and commissions from 1798-1804.

One is $150,000 to $200,000. Repeats Mon 12/18, 4pm

WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC A WETA PRODUCTION

Fridays at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro Washington Week with The Atlantic, hosted by Jeffrey Goldberg, features reporting and analysis of the major national news stories of each week with a roundtable of today’s top journalists.

9:00 GET OUT OF TOWN, SEASON 1 — WETA’s local series spotlights must-see destinations within a few hours of the D.C. area. Encore Episode: Charlottesville, VA. A visit to Charlottesville offers mother-daughter hosts Laurita and Lauren adventure and historical explorations in Laurita’s college town. Activities include horseback riding, wine tasting, and a tour of Monticello.

9:30 IF YOU LIVED HERE, SEASON 1 — WETA’s house-hunting series explores properties and neighborhoods throughout Metro D.C. Encore Episode: Old Town Alexandria, VA. Hosts Christine and John join realtor Susie Klein to tour rowhouses on Alfred, Wilkes and Prince streets in the historic Virginia community. Local architect and historian Al Cox joins in.

10:00 INDEPENDENT LENS: RACIST TREES — Were trees intentionally planted to exclude and segregate a Black neighborhood? In this documentary, racial tensions ignite in Palm Springs, California, over a fight to remove a wall of trees that form a barrier believed to exclude a community. (90 min.)

23 Tuesday 8:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 10 — In a new season of this WETA co-production, join Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr., as he delves into the genealogy of famous Americans. Episode 4 of 10. Buried Secrets. Gates helps musical artist Sammy Hagar and actor Ed O’Neill uncover their roots, revealing secrets their ancestors went to great lengths to conceal — and celebrating the virtue of accepting one’s relatives, whoever they may be. Repeats Sat 1/27, midnight; Sun 1/28, 3pm 9:00 AMERICAN EXPERIENCE: NAZI TOWN, USA — Explore the rise of the German American Bund, a 1930s organization of American Nazis. With chapters across the country, the Bund represented what experts believe was a “genuine threat of fascist subversion in the United States.”

10:00 FRONTLINE: ISRAEL’S SECOND FRONT — Frontline looks beyond Gaza, exploring the power of Hamas, Hezbollah and other forces in the region. Correspondent Ramita Navai investigates militants in the West Bank and Lebanon, their ties to Iran and their role in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

NASA

24 Wednesday

Wednesday, January 17 at 9 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro NOVA: Ultimate Space Telescope follows the story of NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope from its conception to completion and explores its mission. Above: Cryogenic testing of the primary mirror segment.

8:00 NATURE: BIG LITTLE JOURNEYS: BLOODLINES — In Madagascar, a match-stick sized chameleon goes on an epic journey to find a mate and lay eggs before it’s too late. A water vole in the Scottish Highlands swims a lake, climbs a waterfall and scales a mountain to find a place to raise her pups. Repeats Sun 1/28, 1pm 9:00 NOVA: ICEMAN REBORN — Murdered more than 5,000 years ago, Otzi the Iceman is Europe’s oldest known natural mummy. Now, new revelations about Otzi’s life and legacy come to light, including surprising secrets hidden in his genetic code. Repeats Sun 1/28, noon

For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org. 13

HARALD POKIESER/©TERRA MATER STUDIOS GMBH

10:00 SECRETS OF THE DEAD: HANNIBAL IN THE ALPS — Follow a team of experts as they solve the mystery of exactly where Carthaginian general Hannibal and his troops crossed the Alps to launch a famous surprise attack on Rome (218-204 BCE). Repeats Sun 1/28, 2pm

25 Thursday 8:00 THE BROKENWOOD MYSTERIES, SERIES 1 — Episode 4 of 4. Hunting the Stag. During a hunting trip, three friends set off in pursuit of a kill, but one of them ends up with a bullet in the head. Who fired the fatal shot?

Shepherd and Sims must find the truth.

9:30 DEATH IN PARADISE, SERIES 10 — Part 4 of 8. Neville’s attempts to embrace island life backfire when, during a game of beach volleyball, a sandfly bite lands him in the hospital. His time on the ward takes a shocking turn when a tragedy occurs.

10:30 BRITISH ANTIQUES ROADSHOW

26 Friday 8:00 WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC — Jeffrey Goldberg moderates the roundtable discussion of the news with award-winning journalists. Visit pbs.org/washingtonweek. Repeats Sat 1/27, 6am, 6:30pm; Sun 1/28, 11:30am; Mon 1/29, 7:30am 8:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SERIES 5 — Episode 4 of 10. Siddhartha Mukherjee. Author of The Song of the Cell: An Exploration of Medicine and the New Human. Repeats Sun 1/28, 6:30pm 9:00 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN — The WETA co-production continues. Part 2 of 2. An American (1775-1790). In wartime Philadelphia, Franklin helps Thomas Jefferson craft the Declaration of Independence. In Paris, he wins French support for the American Revolution. Back home, he works on the Constitution of the new United States. Repeats Sat 1/27, 10pm

27 Saturday

X-RAY IMAGES OF DNA & RNA; ©KING’S COLLEGE LONDON ARCHIVE

6AM-6PM See the Saturday, January 6 listings.

6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors.

6:30 WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC — R 7:00 IT’S ACADEMIC — The local student quiz show this week features Einstein, Lake Braddock and Magruder high schools. Airs 10am Saturdays, repeating 7pm; and Mondays, 3pm. Stream on the PBS App and now at YouTube.com/wetapbs.

KEN BURNS PRESENTS:

THE GENE: AN INTIMATE HISTORY A WETA CO-PRODUCTION

Jan. 27+Feb. 3, 8 p.m., WETA PBS; Jan. 25+Feb. 1, 8 p.m. WETA Metro Ken Burns Presents The Gene: An Intimate History, a film based on Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee’s acclaimed book, follows the historical search for the human genome and the promise of modern research.

Wednesday, January 31 at 8 p.m. on WETA PBS & WETA Metro Nature: Gorilla presents an intimate look at a silverback and his family in the last remaining wild coastline in the African tropics in Gabon’s Loango National Park. Above: Ambia and baby Ogewely.

7:30 PBS ARTS TALK — Artists and cultural icons break down their craft and careers. Episode 5. Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Grammy Award-winning musician Elvis Costello and Grammy- and Pulitzer Prize-winner Rhiannon Giddens spotlight the power of collaboration by looking back at Costello’s work with Burt Bacharach and Paul McCartney. The pair concludes with an improvised musical performance.

8:00 KEN BURNS PRESENTS THE GENE: AN INTIMATE HISTORY — In a film co-produced by Florentine Films and WETA in association with Ark Media (the team that created the 2015 film Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies), personal stories and breakthroughs reveal the historical search for the human genome and the promise of modern research. The documentary is based on Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee’s bestselling book about how genes impact heredity, disease and behavior. Part 1 of 2.

A history of the human genome weaves together science and personal stories. Patients with rare genetic diseases, and their doctors, seek to discover cures, often in a race against time. Repeats Sun 1/28, 11pm 10:00 BENJAMIN FRANKLIN — Part 2 of 2. An American (17751790). R 12M FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 10 — Episode 4 of 10. Buried Secrets. R

28 Sunday 6AM-11:30AM See the Sunday, January 14 listings.

11:30 WASHINGTON WEEK WITH THE ATLANTIC — R 12N NOVA: ICEMAN REBORN — R 1:00 NATURE: BIG LITTLE JOURNEYS: BLOODLINES — R 2:00 SECRETS OF THE DEAD: HANNIBAL IN THE ALPS — R 3:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 10 — Episode 4 of 10. Buried Secrets. R 4:00 FRONTLINE: 20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL — The awardwinning film from the last international journalists inside the Russian siege of the Ukrainian city of Mariupol offers an extraordinary account of events, seen through the lens of the AP’s Mstyslav Chernov and two colleagues, who document atrocities — and their own escape. (99 min.)

6:00 PBS NEWS WEEKEND — John Yang anchors. Repeats Monday, 7am 6:30 HISTORY WITH DAVID RUBENSTEIN, SERIES 5 — Episode 4 of 10. Siddhartha Mukherjee. R 7:00 DOC MARTIN, SERIES 10 — Part 4 of 9. Everlasting Love.

When Martin advises a patient suffering from migraines to stop cold-water swimming, Mrs. Tishell’s attempts to help almost lead to disaster. Martin has his own headaches to deal with when an herbalist sets up shop in the village and then an old flame arrives on his doorstep. Meanwhile, Penhale tries to rekindle his romance with Janice. Lesley Nicol (Downton Abbey) guest stars.

WETA Magazine is published monthly by the Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association for its members. Three dollars of each member’s dues are designated for its subscription. WETA occasionally exchanges member names with other organizations. If you wish that your name not be exchanged, please call Audience Services at 703-998-2724. ©2024 by Greater Washington Educational Telecommunications Association.

All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written permission.

Periodical postage paid at Arlington, VA 22210 and additional offices. Send address changes to WETA, 3939 Campbell Avenue, Arlington, Virginia 22206. Volume 37, Number 1. ISSN No. 1041-2700.

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

14 JANUARY 2024 • Stream select programs via the PBS App.

Publisher Mary Stewart Editor Jeff Giese Design MANIFEST LLC Editorial and Advertising Offices 3939 Campbell Ave. Arlington, VA 22206

8:00 MISS SCARLET AND THE DUKE, SERIES 4 ON MASTERPIECE — Part 4 of 6. The Diamond Feather. Things are going well for Eliza until a familiar face shows up to question her role at Nash & Sons. Meanwhile, The Duke receives an offer that brings their relationship to a crisis point.

9:00 ALL CREATURES GREAT AND SMALL, SERIES 4 ON MASTERPIECE — Part 4 of 7. By the Book. Carmody is challenged with learning how to be a vet. The new farmers have a worrying illness among their herd and James wants to help them. Helen rallies the community to help the newcomers while she waits for some personal news.

10:00 FUNNY WOMAN — Part 4 of 6. Barbara and Clive’s offscreen romance is the talk of the town, but she makes a discovery that threatens to bring down the whole show.

11:00 KEN BURNS PRESENTS THE GENE: AN INTIMATE HISTORY — Part 1 of 2. R

29 Monday 7:00 PBS NEWSHOUR — Weeknights. Visit pbs.org/newshour.

Repeats next day, 7am 8:00 ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: OLD STURBRIDGE VILLAGE, HOUR 1 — See Massachusetts treasures, including a 1954 Marilyn Monroe tissue with a soldier’s letter; Paul Revere pottery vases; and a 1942 Ted Williams jersey.

Which is the season’s top treasure at $500,000?

9:00 GET OUT OF TOWN, SEASON 1 — WETA’s local series spotlights must-see destinations within a few hours of the D.C. area. Encore Episode: Philadelphia, PA. Cheesesteaks, a Founding Footsteps history tour, and a run up the famous Rocky steps are on the itinerary as the hosts visit Philadelphia.

9:30 IF YOU LIVED HERE, SEASON 1 — WETA’s house-hunting series explores properties and neighborhoods throughout Metro D.C. Encore Episode: Silver Spring, MD. Christine and John tour homes with realtor Koki Adasi. They visit Highland View Park, National Seminary Park and Ritchie Avenue and learn about the community from food writer Tim Ebner, Velati’s Amy Servais, and others.

10:00 INDEPENDENT LENS: RAZING LIBERTY SQUARE — The Liberty City public housing community in Miami becomes ground zero for climate gentrification. With rising sea levels, the high ground of the neighborhood — which was home to one of the oldest segregated public housing projects in the United States — has become something else: real estate gold. (90 min.)

30 Tuesday 8:00 FINDING YOUR ROOTS WITH HENRY LOUIS GATES, JR., SERIES 10 — In a new season of this WETA co-production, join Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates, Jr., as he delves into the genealogy of famous Americans.

Episode 5 of 10. Hold the Laughter. Gates uncovers the roots of comedians Bob Odenkirk and Iliza Shlesinger — two very funny people whose family trees brim with dramatic stories — introducing them to relatives who took great risks to overcome enormous hardships.

9:00 FRONTLINE: DEMOCRACY ON TRIAL — Frontline spotlights the roots of the criminal cases against former President Trump stemming from his 2020 election loss.

Amid the presidential race, the report examines the House Jan. 6 committee’s evidence, the threat to democracy and the historic charges against Trump. (2 hrs.)

31 Wednesday 8:00 NATURE: GORILLA — Get an intimate look at a silverback family in Gabon’s Loango National Park. Meet a newborn gorilla, brave researchers, forest elephants, buffalos and more in the last remaining wild coastline in the African tropics.

9:00 NOVA: WHEN WHALES COULD WALK — A spectacular fossil graveyard in Egypt’s Sahara Desert reveals a 43-million-year-old whale that had four legs and could walk. Follow scientists as they search for new clues to how mammals moved from land into the sea to become the largest animals on Earth.

10:00 SECRETS OF THE DEAD: JAMESTOWN’S DARK WINTER — A forensic anthropologist excavates the early American colony and uncovers dark secrets. What do the discovered bones of a 14-year-old English girl reveal about what really happened during the winter of 1609?

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The WETA PBS Kids channel offers a safe haven for young viewers, presenting educational programming 24 hours each day, seven days a week.

WEEKDAYS ON WETA PBS KIDS • Clifford the Big Red Dog, 6am • Elinor Wonders Why, 6:30am • Dinosaur Train, 7am • Pinkalicious & Peterrific, 7:30am, 8am • Sesame Street, 8:30am, 9am • Work It Out Wombats!, 9:30am • Rosie’s Rules, 10am • Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, 10:30am, 11am • Curious George, 11:30am, 12n • Donkey Hodie, 12:30pm, 1pm • Work It Out Wombats!, 1:30pm • Rosie’s Rules, 2pm • Alma’s Way, 2:30pm, 3pm • Nature Cat, 3:30pm, 4pm • Arthur, 4:30pm, 5pm • Odd Squad, 5:30pm • Wild Kratts, 6pm, 6:30pm • Molly of Denali, 7pm, 7:30pm • Cyberchase, 8pm • Hero Elementary, 8:30pm • Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, 9pm • Let’s Go Luna! 9:30pm On Fridays:

• The Not-Too-Late Show with Elmo + Shorts, 6:30-7pm • WETA PBS Kids Family Night, 7-10pm

Visit weta.org/schedule for complete WETA PBS Kids listings.

WEEKDAYS ON WETA PBS, 8 AM – 3 PM • Wild Kratts, 8am • Curious George, 8:30am • Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, 9am • Rosie’s Rules, 9:30am • Sesame Street, 10am • Work It Out Wombats!, 10:30am • Donkey Hodie, 11am • Pinkalicious & Peterrific, 11:30am • Elinor Wonders Why, 12n • Nature Cat, 12:30pm • Hero Elementary, 1pm • Xavier Riddle & the Secret Museum, 1:30pm • Molly of Denali, 2pm • Alma’s Way, 2:30pm

SUNDAYS ON WETA PBS, 6 AM - 9 AM • Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, 6am • Arthur, 6:30am • Molly of Denali, 7am • Alma’s Way, 7:30am • Albie’s Elevator, 8am • Curious George, 8:30am

Donkey Hodie

For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org. 15

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British Television at Its Best The WETA UK channel is devoted to the best in British television programming, presenting beloved classics and contemporary series around the clock, seven days a week. WETA UK offers a full schedule of fine entertainment programming — featuring drama, mystery and comedy — in addition to documentary series and news reports.

JANUARY P.M. PROGRAMMING ON WETA UK VISIT WETA.ORG/SCHEDULE FOR A PROGRAM LINEUP

All Creatures Great and Small, Series 3 Marathon 9 a.m.-6 p.m., 1/7

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

The Hour, Series 1 (starts 1/14)

• 1/1: 11:30am-3pm: London New Year’s Day Parade 2024 • Call the Midwife (except 1/1)

Call the Midwife

Call the Midwife

Call the Midwife

Call the Midwife

Travelling Auctioneers

Grantchester,

A Place to Call Home (except 1/1)

A Place to Call Home

A Place to Call Home

A Place to Call Home

A Place to Call Home

• Lucy Worsley’s Royal Palace Secrets (1/6) • Doc Martin, Ser. 10 (starts 1/13)

• 1/14, 2:30pm: Ireland in Music • 1/21 & 1/28, 2pm: Sister Boniface, Series 2

• Lucy Worsley’s Royal Myths & Secrets (1/8) • Treasures w/ Bettany Hughes (starts 1/15)

• Lucy Worsley’s Royal Photo Album (1/2) • Doc Martin, Series 10 (starts 1/9)

Foyle’s War, Series 3

• Midsomer Murders, Series 3 • Father Brown Mysteries, Ser. 9 (starts 1/25)

• 1/5, 2-5pm: Rise of the Nazis, Series 1

• 2pm: Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries (90 min 1/6-1/13; then 1 hr.)

Secrets of Westminster (1/1); L. Worsley’s Royal Myths (1/8); Treasures w/ Bettany Hughes (1/15-1/29)

• Hotel Portofino, Series 2 • Seaside Hotel, Series 7 (starts 1/10)

4pm

• Great Estates of Scotland (1/14)

Queen Mother’s Blitz (1/1); L. Worsley’s Royal Myths (1/8); Ancient Sites (starts 1/15)

• 3pm: Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries (90 min, 1/2-1/9, then 60 min) • 4:30pm: British Antiq. Roadshow (1/2-1/9) • 4pm: Miss Scarlet and The Duke (starts 1/16)

Agatha Christie’s Poirot

3:30pm

• Great Estates of Scotland (1/14) • Father Brown, Series 9 (starts 1/21)

Baptiste, Series 1 & 2 on Masterpiece

Sanditon, Series 1 on Masterpiece

BBC News: The Context

BBC News: The Context

BBC News: The Context

BBC News: The Context

BBC News: The Context

BBC News America

BBC News America

BBC News America

BBC News America

BBC News America

Still Open All Hours

Still Open All Hours

Still Open All Hours

Still Open All Hours

Still Open All Hours

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

As Time Goes By

The Hour, Series 1

Celebrity Antiques Road Trip

Celebrity Antiques Road Trip

Celebrity Antiques Road Trip

Celebrity Antiques Road Trip

Celebrity Antiques Road Trip

Marie Antoinette

• Lucy Worsley’s Royal Myths & Secrets (1/7) • Treasures w/ Bettany Hughes (starts 1/14)

• Lucy Worsley’s Royal Photo Album (1/1) • Doc Martin, Ser. 10 (starts 1/8)

Foreign Favourites

• Magpie Murders on Masterpiece • Sister Boniface, Series 2 (starts 1/17)

• 1/4, 8-11pm: Lucy Worsley’s Royal Myths & Secrets

Masterworks Showcase

Baptiste on Masterpiece (Series 2 starts 1/6)

• Lucy Worsley’s Royal Myths & Secrets (1/7) • Treasures w/ Bettany Hughes (1/14-1/28)

Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries, Series 1 (Series 2 starts 1/15)

• Lucy Worsley’s Royal Myths & Secrets (1/7) • Ancient Sites of the World (starts 1/14)

• 1/1-1/8 (10:30pm:) British Antiques Roadshow • Miss Scarlet and The Duke, Ser. 1 (starts 1/15)

Still Open All

BBC News

BBC News

BBC News

BBC News

BBC News

• L Worsley’s Royal Photos • Doc Martin, Ser. 10 (starts 1/8)

Baptiste on Masterpiece

• Magpie Murders • Sister Boniface, Ser. 2 (starts 1/17)

Lucy Worsley (1/4); Treasures w/ Bettany Hughes (starts 1/11)

Foyle’s War, Series 3

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

12pm 12:30pm

1pm Series 3 on 1:30pm

2pm 2:30pm

3pm

4:30pm

Masterpiece (starts 1/14, 90 min)

• Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries, Series 2 (starts 1/21)

Foyles War,

5pm Series 3

(except 1/7)

5:30pm

6pm

Victoria, Series 3

6:30pm

7pm (starts 1/7)

• 1/12-1/26, 2-4pm: Treasures w/ Bettany Hughes • 1/12-1/26, 4pm: Ancient Sites of the World

SATURDAY

• 3:30pm: British Antiques Roadshow (1/6-1/13) • 3pm: Miss Scarlet and The Duke, Series 1 (starts 1/20)

• Magpie Murders on Masterpiece • Sister Boniface Mysteries, Ser. 2 (starts 1/20) Foyle’s War, Series 3

Victoria on Masterpiece, Series 3

7:30pm

8pm 8:30pm

9pm 9:30pm

10pm 10:30pm

11pm Hours 11:30pm

SUNDAY

MONDAY

• 8pm: Baptiste on Masterpiece (Series 2 starts 1/9) • 9pm: L’Opera • 10pm: Seaside Hotel, Series 7 (Series 8 starts 1/23)

TUESDAY

• Midsomer Murders, Series 3 • Father Brown Mysteries, Ser. 9 (starts 1/24) Agatha Christie’s Poirot

• 8pm: Foyle’s War, • 1/11-1/25, 8-10pm: Series 3 Treasures with • 9pm: Victoria on Bettany Hughes Masterpiece, • 10pm, starting Series 3 1/11: Ancient • 10pm: Marie Sites of the Antoinette World

FRIDAY

L’Opera

• Professor T, Series 2 (UK) • Ms. Fisher’s Modern Murder Mysteries, Series 2 (starts 1/20)

Baptiste, Series 2 on Masterpiece

SATURDAY

WETA UK Highlights Sister Boniface Mysteries, Series 2

T

Wednesdays at 8 p.m. starting Jan. 17 on WETA UK

Father Brown, Series 9

Wednesdays at 9 p.m. starting Jan. 24 on WETA UK

n the popular drama Father Brown, the beautiful English countryside is the setting for more rustic mysteries featuring Mark Williams (Harry Potter) as the charismatic clergyman sleuth — based on the classic character created by author GK Chesterton.

In Series 9, the year is 1953, and the sleepy (fictional) Cotswold village of Kembleford is stirred by dastardly deeds, such as murder at the local holiday camp and at Lady Felicia’s illustrious New Year Masked Ball. The crime-fighting priest also faces a race against time to unmask a mystery attacker before pernicious newcomer Lord Hawthorne, an antagonist, has Brown hounded out of the parish. And Brown’s friends Sergeant Goodfellow and Sid need his ingenuity to solve a fiendish kidnapping. Slotting into the Wednesday-night WETA UK schedule just after spinoff series Sister Boniface Mysteries, Series 9 of Father Brown features 10 episodes.

W

BBC STUDIOS/STUART WOOD

I

BBC STUDIOS/GARY MOYES

he light-hearted drama series Sister Boniface Mysteries returns with a new season, starring Lorna Watson as its eponymous Vespa-driving, crime-solving Catholic nun, a character introduced in the long-running mystery drama Father Brown. In the new episodes, it’s the 1960s and Sister Boniface — with her aptitude for detective work and PhD in forensic science — is an invaluable asset to the police department of Great Slaughter, a community nestled in Britain’s Cotswolds. The amateur detective’s faith in forensics is only rivalled by her passion for investigation. In the new Series 2 programs, the Sister forces a murderer into checkmate at a chess tournament; takes a spin at a pirate radio station; confronts a coven of witches; and defends her reputation as the conviction of her adversary, “The Good Samaritan,” comes into question. Joining Boniface in her sleuthing are maverick DI Sam Gillespie (Max Brown), buttoned-up Bermudan DS Felix Livingstone (Jerry Iwu), and Constable Peggy Button (Ami Metcalf ).

Treasures with Bettany Hughes

Thursdays at 8 & 9 p.m. starting Jan. 11 on WETA UK

SANDSTONE GLOBAL PRODUCTIONS

ith unique access and state-of-the-art technology, English author and presenter Bettany Hughes, a historian of classical antiquity and host of an extraordinary portfolio of documentary films, investigates the most remarkable treasures of civilization that reveal the story of humanity. In the six episodes of Treasures, Series 1, Hughes travels across the ancient world, visiting Greece, Malta, Gibraltar, Mediterranean islands, Istanbul and the Arabian Peninsula, exploring shipwrecks, temples and much more, and unearthing the best finds from unfolding excavations. The 2021 series — which spotlights places and objects and traces their significance within human history — is armchair traveling at its most vivid and memorable, championing what ordinary people throughout time have achieved through the sheer force of will, inspiration and collaboration. Binge-watch the series now with WETA Passport.

Also on WETA UK in January: • Doc Martin, Series 10 (the final season), with Martin Clunes, airs Mondays at 8 p.m. starting January 8.

• Seaside Hotel, now in Season 7, airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. and enters Season 8 on January 23.

• Lucy Worsley’s Royal Myths & Secrets (Henry VIII, George III, Romanovs) airs Thursday, Jan. 4, 8-11 p.m.

• The Hour, starring Ben Whishaw, Dominic West and Romola Garai, airs Sundays at 7 p.m. starting January 7.

For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org. 17

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WETA Metro is the streaming and broadcast television channel that features popular PBS programming and engaging content curated for our local audience, including offerings spotlighting the Metro D.C. community.

The channel is simulcast with WETA PBS most evenings. Each day on WETA Metro, enjoy local programs, news and public affairs offerings (such as PBS NewsHour, weekdays at 6 p.m./11 p.m.), and lifestyle and cultural shows.

VISIT WETA.ORG/SCHEDULE FOR A COMPLETE PROGRAM LINEUP

Stream at weta.org/livestream or via the PBS App

F

Fight the Power: How Hip Hop Changed the World

Saturdays at 8 p.m. starting Jan. 6 on WETA Metro

PHOTO COURTESY DAVID LEEMING, BALDWIN BIOGRAPHER

©BBC STUDIOS

our-part 2023 miniseries Fight the Power presents a narrative of struggle, triumph and resistance brought to life through the lens of hip hop, a musical art form that has chronicled the emotions, experiences and expressions of Black and Brown communities. In the aftermath of America’s racial and political reckoning in 2020, the perspectives and stories shared in hip hop illuminate injustice in the U.S. over the last half-century. Authored by musical group Public Enemy’s Chuck D (left), who famously labeled hip hop as “the Black CNN” for bringing the stories of the street to the mainstream, the story includes personal testimonies of MCs, DJs, graffiti artists, filmmakers, politicians, and opinion formers who created and shaped hip hop’s direction as it grew from an underground movement in the Bronx to the most popular music genre in the U.S. (and fastest-growing genre in the world today). Featuring interviews with top artists, the series paints a portrait of the relationship between hip hop and U.S. political history.

American Masters: James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket

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Saturday, Jan. 20 at 9 p.m. on WETA Metro

he life, works and beliefs of the brilliant American author James Baldwin are recounted in this American Masters biography: what it is to be born Black, impoverished, gifted and gay in a world that has yet to understand that “all men are brothers.” The in-depth portrait of Baldwin uses archival material that reflects the writer’s worldwide influence and appeal. James Baldwin: The Price of the Ticket includes interviews with family members, friends and colleagues, including Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, William Styron, Amiri Baraka, Richard Avedon and Bobby Short, among others.

Through Baldwin’s work (following his first book in 1953, Go Tell It on the Mountain), he helped mobilize the Civil Rights Movement in America and brought new awareness and compassion to his readers.

SOURA FILMS

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Tutankhamun: Allies & Enemies Tuesday, Jan. 16 at 9 p.m. on WETA Metro

two-hour 2022 documentary marking the 100th anniversary of King Tutankhamun’s tomb discovery investigates the life and legacy of the renowned Egyptian pharaoh. Filmed on location across Egypt from Cairo to Luxor, Tutankhamun: Allies & Enemies goes beyond examining Tut’s tomb and its priceless artifacts to share the pharaoh’s story from his point of view and unpack the short life of the “Boy King.” In the program, lead archaeologist Dr. Yasmin El Shazly meets with historians, archaeologists and scientists to puzzle out historical inconsistencies and secrets surrounding Tut’s childhood and family. Using drone footage and computed tomography scans (CTs), the two-part program also takes a closer look at Tutankhamun’s burial.

18 JANUARY 2024 • Stream select programs via the PBS App.

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The WETA World channel is a 24/7 news and public affairs service devoted to fact-based nonfiction programming, sharing broad perspectives, stories and ideas. WETA World informs and educates, presenting award-winning documentaries and domestic and international news broadcasts. The channel features a slate of original programs that examine issues with a diversity of voices and illuminate conflicts, movements and cultures around the globe.

VISIT WETA.ORG/SCHEDULE FOR A COMPLETE PROGRAM LINEUP

Real Stories from Around the World

WETA co-production airs Jan. 20 & 27, 8-10 p.m. on WETA World

documentary series from WETA partner Prof. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. examines the vibrant cultural and social spaces at the heart of the Black experience in the United States. Airing over two Saturdays, the four-part 2022 WETA co-production — executive-produced, written and hosted

by Gates — features the renowned Harvard scholar seeking out the vast social networks and organizations that have supported and nurtured Black families, institutions and community, and includes interviews with academics, writers, cultural leaders, and experts such as Charles M. Blow and Angela Davis. The series illuminates an extraordinary world that showcased Black people’s ability to collectively prosper, defy white supremacy and define Blackness in ways that transformed America itself.

Visit pbs.org/makingblackamerica to learn more.

MCGEE MEDIA

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Making Black America: Through the Grapevine

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Thursday, Jan. 4 at 8 p.m. on WETA World

1976 GEORGE BALLIS/TAKE STOCK/TOP FOTO

Fannie Lou Hamer’s America: An America ReFramed Special n January, WETA World presents a slate of documentary programs spotlighting economic inequality. Among the offerings is a biographicalhistorical film that explores the life of Mississippi sharecropper-turnedactivist Fannie Lou Hamer. Working in cotton fields from the age of six, Hamer was keenly aware of the racial injustices that forced her family to labor so much while earning so little. Encouraged by her participation in groups like the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), she devoted herself to voter enfranchisement and increasing Black political representation, ultimately becoming one of the Civil Rights Movement’s greatest leaders. Hamer’s efforts would mobilize thousands of Black Americans to register to vote and inspire her historic but unsuccessful run for a seat in the United States Senate.

Friday, Jan. 5 at 8 p.m. on WETA World

COURTESY POV/CAPITAL K PICTURES

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Frontline: Age of Easy Money

two-hour 2023 Frontline presentation investigates the role of the Federal Reserve’s “easy money” policies in the fragility of the financial system and the climate of economic uncertainty from the Great Recession to the rise in inflation in America. The program scrutinizes the Fed’s epic economic experiment to revive the economy and resulting far-reaching and unintended consequences, including a widening gap between Main Street and Wall Street — and anxieties about debt and recession. The film draws on two years of reporting and interviews with prominent financial players, leading economic thinkers, top-level Fed insiders, members of Congress and the Biden administration, and people impacted by the country’s economic policies.

For full schedules and program information, visit weta.org. 19

DEIDRE HUCKABAY

RYAN BRANDENBERG

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Front Row Washington: Zachary Good & Natalia Kazaryan in Performance Monday, January 22 at 9 p.m.

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ast October, clarinetist Zachary Good and pianist Natalia Kazaryan gave a performance at the Arts Club of Washington, the former home of President James Monroe and a club that promotes visual, performing and literary arts in the nation’s capital. On January 22, WETA Classical program Front Row Washington presents the concert, titled Conservation/Exploration, a program of mostly 20th- and 21st-century compositions that the two artists suggested would feature hidden gems and unexpected arrangements. The duo plays works by Jessie Montgomery, Germaine Tailleferre, Joan Tower, Olivier Messiaen and Johannes Brahms — in addition to music by Good himself. Join program host John Banther for this and other exciting live recordings from concert series in the D.C. area, Mondays at 9 p.m. on Front Row Washington.

New Choral Albums on Choral Showcase Sundays at 9 p.m.

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©ALEXANDER BANCK-PETERSEN

he New Year heralds new choral albums on WETA Classical’s Choral Showcase, beginning with conductor and gambist Jordi Savall who, at 80, remains as active a musician as ever. One recent project is Franz Joseph Haydn’s oratorio, Die Schöpfung, or “The Creation,” which is featured on the January 7 program. Then hear 21st-century choral music from Iceland on January 14, with two new albums by Schola Cantorum of Schola Cantorum, of Reykjavik Reykjavik. A widely-hailed recording from 2023, the beloved Vespro Della Beata Vergine by Claudio Monteverdi, with Raphaël Pichon leading the ensemble Pygmalion, airs January 21.

And concluding the month’s offerings on January 28 is Sir Charles Villiers Stanford’s Requiem, a touching work that echoes the German Requiem of his hero, Johannes Brahms. Martyn Brabbins conducts the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Voices, from a Stanford revival in 2022.

Heggie’s Dead Man Walking on Opera Matinee

KAREN ALMOND/MET OPERA

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Ryan McKinny and Joyce DiDonato

Saturday, January 20 at 1 p.m.

his month’s Opera Matinee lineup features live Metropolitan Opera broadcasts of classics such as Verdi’s Nabucco (Jan. 6, 1 p.m.); Puccini’s La Bohème (Jan. 13, 12:30 p.m.), with Elena Stikhina and Joseph Calleja; and a new production of Bizet’s Carmen (Jan. 27, 1 p.m.), with Aigul Akhmetshina, Piotr Beczała and Angel Blue).

Also airing is a recording of the Met’s Fall 2023 premiere of the opera Dead Man Walking (Jan. 20, 1 p.m.) by Jake Heggie, featuring a libretto by Terrence McNally.

The performance, conducted by Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin, features Joyce DiDonato and Ryan McKinny. The opera is based on Sister Helen Prejean’s bestselling memoir of justice and forgiveness and takes listeners into the intimate and often unseen spaces of the criminal justice system.

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Classical for Washington Musical Travels in the New Year: Upcoming on NSO Showcase First Wednesday of each month at 9 p.m.

By Nicole Lacroix, On-Air Host

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“Oh, the places you’ll go! Congratulations! ...You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!” — Dr. Seuss

YASSINE EL MANSOURI

his season, Music Director Gianandrea Noseda and the National Symphony Orchestra are off to Great Places, from Carnegie Hall to La Scala! And WETA Classical’s NSO Showcase programs reflect that musical wanderlust.

This month’s NSO Showcase program — airing Wednesday, January 3 at 9 p.m. — features music from the Czech Republic, Austria, and France. We love Dvořák for his lilting melodies, but there can be a dark side to his music...a very dark side. On the bill, the folk tale The Wood Dove, for example, tells the story of a young wife who has poisoned her husband but can’t escape her suicidal guilt. In contrast, the birds in Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony (No.6), chirp cheerfully, while the French composer Louise Farrenc’s Third Symphony is a joy, with an especially gorgeous slow movement and a fairy-like Scherzo.

Upcoming months also feature a glorious diversity of offerings and settings. February’s NSO Showcase will present a preview of the orchestra’s visit to Carnegie Hall on February 12, which will be followed a couple of days later by the ensemble’s European tour. The orchestra will travel to Barcelona, Madrid, Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne, Milan, Hamburg, and elsewhere. Meanwhile, here at home, our NSO Showcase program will feature two Respighi favorites, The Botticelli Triptych and Fountains of Rome, a virtual visit to Cologne with Schumann’s Rhenish Symphony No.3, and a bow to Maestro Noseda’s 10-year stint as principal guest conductor at the Mariinsky Theatre in St. Petersburg with Borodin’s Polovtsian Dances.

The March NSO Showcase program is a homecoming reflecting the favorites we enjoy on WETA Classical — for example Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, Ravel’s La Valse and Boléro, Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, plus a Strauss waltz and excerpts from Bizet’s Maestro Gianandrea Noseda and the National Symphony Orchestra l’Arlésienne Suite.

In April, Simone Young conducts Shostakovich’s Symphony No.10, written in 1953, the year of Stalin’s death.

According to various sources, the symphony may or may not be about the horrors of the Stalin years. As the composer told the Union of Soviet Composers, “I wanted to convey human feelings and passions. Let them listen and decide for themselves.”

When you think of the “3 Bs,” Bach, Beethoven, and Brahms come to mind. But May’s NSO Showcase program has music by 2 other Bs — that is, Benjamin Britten’s Cello Symphony dedicated to Mstislav Rostropovich, the great cellist and long-time music director of the National Symphony Orchestra. This performance features NSO Principal David Hardy as soloist. Also on the program is Anton Bruckner’s 6th symphony — one of his famed “cathedrals of sound” — which the composer characterized as the boldest of his nine symphonies.

The June program takes our musical voyage in an operatic direction, with Mahler’s Symphony No.4 featuring the lovely voice of Katerina Burton, a recent graduate of Washington National Opera’s Cafritz Young Artists program; Richard Strauss’ Suite from der Rosenkavalier; and Dvořák’s Othello Overture (a preview of the NSO’s concert performance of Verdi’s Otello in June).

Then, in July, the NSO travels to Vienna, Virginia — for its Wolf Trap Season.

Join us on our musical journey! NSO Showcase airs on WETA Classical at 9 p.m. on each month’s first Wednesday.

WETA Classical: 90.9 FM Greater Washington/89.1 FM Hagerstown/88.9 FM Frederick

WETA Passport Stream Masterpiece dramas and much more with WETA Passport, our popular member benefit that provides you with access to an extensive library of the best public television programs! You’re ready to activate now at pbs.org/passport if you see a four-word activation code above your name and address at left; or go to weta.org/passport to make your qualifying donation of $60 (or $5 monthly) to start enjoying WETA Passport today.

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WA S H I N G T O N N AT I O N A L O P E R A

N AT I O N A L S Y M P H O N Y O R C H E S T R A

JANUARY 19 | TERRACE THEATER

JANUARY 18, 20 & 21 | CONCERT HALL

NEW PRODUCTION

Songbird

The hungriest bird sings the sweetest song.

New Orleans in the 1920s is roaring with decadence, but singers and lovers Songbird and Piquillo are down on hard times. As Mardi Gras arrives, the Mayor disguises himself and lures Songbird to be his mistress with the promise of food and lodging. Now Songbird must choose between financial security and true love. What’s a hungry artist to do?

Adapted from Jacques Offenbach’s La Périchole

MARCH 9-23 | EISENHOWER THEATER

Grammy®-winning violinist Gil Shaham, proclaimed “the outstanding American violinist of his generation” by Time Magazine, bring flawless technique and spirited warmth to every note of Dvořák’s Violin Concerto—from its powerhouse opening and lyrical slow movement to the lively finale infused with Slavic cheer.

Noseda closes the program with Schubert’s final Symphony No. 9, “The Great.”

Seong-Jin Cho plays Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4 Noseda conducts Shostakovich’s Fifth Symphony & Carlos Simon Following his concerts last season, The Washington Classical Review reported that an “aura of classical music celebrity hung about the Kennedy Center Concert Hall… when a capacity crowd turned out to hear the return of Seong-Jin Cho.” Now, he reunites with Noseda for a performance of Beethoven’s moving Piano Concerto No. 4.

JANUARY 25–27 | CONCERT HALL

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(202) 467-4600 Groups of 20+ (for WNO 10+) call (202) 416-8400 For all other ticket-related customer service inquiries, call the Advance Sales Box Office at (202) 416-8540 Kennedy-Center.org/health-safety

The NSO Music Director Chair is generously endowed by the Sant Family Noseda Era Fund Supporters The Leonard and Elaine Silverstein Family Foundation Fund in Honor of Ronald D. Abramson The Amici di Gianandrea

Jacqueline B. Mars

Mrs. Eugene B. Casey

Harald Hoffmann

Talented creative teams. Powerful stories. All-original opera.

WNO’s acclaimed commissioning program for contemporary American opera enters its 11th exciting season—showing how short opera can move and inspire us! Talented composer-librettist teams will showcase three world premiere one-act operas, performed by the Cafritz Young Artists.

Chris Lee

Scott Suchman

Karli Cadel

AOI: Three One-Act Operas

Musical Roots: Noseda & Friends Gil Shaham plays Dvořák’s Violin Concerto Noseda conducts Schubert’s Ninth Symphony